1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the service of food and beverages in a chilled state and, more particularly, to a portable service bowl and support structure capable of chilling food and/or beverages.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Food is typically served in either a warm or cold state. Food served warm must be consumed quickly to prevent heat loss. If a more leisurely meal is desired, warming plates can be utilized to keep the food warm until consumption. Likewise, beverages are also served hot or cold. Hot beverages; such as coffee and tea can be kept hot by use of insulated containers whereas ice is conventionally used for chilling of soft drinks, water, and so forth.
What is lacking in the art is a device capable of keeping foods and beverages chilled without the use of ice or conventional refrigeration. For instance, fruit salad is a food that requires refrigeration until use to prevent spoilage. However, if a leisurely meal is desired, the salad must be left in the refrigerator and retrieved by the host at the time of service. In many instances a salad or the like food is a focal point of the meal, for purpose of display or consumption, and must be placed at the dining table throughout the meal. Presently the method of chilling is a layer of ice in which a bowl containing the salad is placed. Problems with storing the salad on a layer of ice are apparent wherein removal of the bowl from the layer of ice allows melting ice to drip from the base of the bowl. This is especially troubling if the bowl is passed around the table. Alternatively, if the salad bowl is left stationary, retrieval of food requires service by the individual closest to the bowl disrupting the server's meal as well as the remainder of guests seated at the table.
Further lacking in the art is a device capable of maintaining fresh fruit when displayed on a kitchen counter-top. For instance, fresh fruit is typically chilled until consumption, refrigeration preventing premature spoilage of the fruit. For this reason, modern refrigerators include the use of at least one fresh fruit storage bin. Apples, pears, plums, oranges, peaches, grapes, are just a few types of fresh fruit that will spoil within days if stored at normal room temperature yet will stay fresh for weeks if refrigerated. However, fruit stored in a refrigerator bin is easily forgotten and difficult for young children to obtain. For this reason the decision must be made to maintain the fruit in the refrigerator or risk spoilage by counter-top display of the fruit allowing for viewing and accessibility of the fruit.
Fruit bowls are so named for their characteristically high side walls. Problems with the fruit bowl include lack of air circulation which further increase spoilage and inability to maintain the fruit in a chilled condition. One known device that attempted to address this problem is U.S. Pat. No. 4,506,799 issued to Mason which discloses a conical shaped bowl having a plurality of ribs to minimize surface contact so as to form channels for the flow of air thus reduces spoilage by air circulation. The Mason patent fails to teach chilling of the fruit.
Yet still further lacking in the art is a device capable of chilling various beverages. While ice can be added to many beverages to chill the fluid, in many instances the taste of the beverage may be diluted if ice is added. For instance, ice is never added directly to fine wine, rather, the wine bottle is placed in a bucket of ice. Similarly, punch is most desirable if served cold but the addition of ice directly into the punch bowl may cause undesirable dilution. Placement of ice around the punch bowl requires a container larger than the punch bowl capable of holding the melted ice.
Thus, the problem with the prior art, to which this invention addresses is the maintenance of food and beverages in a chilled state without the need for conventional refrigeration or placement of said food and beverages upon a bed of ice. It is, therefore, to the effective resolution of these needs and problems associated therewith that the present invention is directed.